Burkinabe parliament approves political party ban

Burkina Faso’s transitional parliament has approved a ban on political parties, which could be used by the military junta to further cement its rule, as reported by Africa News and agencies on February 10th.

The bill, which repeals the charter of political parties and a law related to party financing, electoral campaigns and the status of opposition, was approved on February 9th and received no opposition from lawmakers.

It was reported on January 30th that the junta, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, announced the ban over what Interior Minister Emile Zerbo called “numerous abuses” of the state under the multiparty system.

On February 5th, the UN condemned the junta’s dissolution of political parties, with Volker Turk describing the decision as “not a step in the right direction for the human rights of the people of Burkina Faso.”

Since rising to power following a September 2022 military coup, Traoré’s administration has suspended political party activities and dissolved the electoral committee, which ministers alleged was susceptible to “foreign influences.”

Under the guise of countering the regional threat posed by jihadist militants, Traoré has cracked down on perceived dissent, sometimes accusing potential opponents of plotting to overthrow the junta and destabilise the country.

In January, the former transitional president, Paul-Henri Damiba, was arrested in neighbouring Togo and extradited to Burkina Faso on charges including embezzlement, corruption, and incitement to commit offences.

Damiba was ousted by Traoré in September 2022, the year in which Burkina Faso experienced two military coups, with the latter installing Traoré as leader.

Since Damiba’s arrest, reports suggest that the Burkinabe military has been purged of members with alleged ties to Damiba. Military sources indicated that several commanding officers are missing, while some high-ranking gendarmerie members have been disarmed or placed under surveillance.

Upon taking office, Traoré vowed to tackle the rising threat of Islamist extremists in Burkina Faso; however, the junta has struggled to contain the threat, which is present throughout the Sahel region.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are founding members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a cooperation pact designed to counter jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel through shared intelligence and military resources. The countries are junta-led and have rejected Western ties, instead aligning with Russia.

Despite promising to restore stability and confront jihadist insurgencies, analysts believe that violence has escalated in Burkina Faso since Traoré was installed as leader.

Africa News and agencies, Maghrebi.org